Change a Child’s Story with Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/Prince George’s County

Written by CASA/Prince George’s County

On April 24, 2024, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)/Prince George’s County, led by Executive Director, Yolanda Johnson, hosted a poignant Volunteer Appreciation Social. The event was supported by co-host Briana Thezard, founder of the Memories Foundation.

CASA/Prince George’s County trains and supports citizen volunteers who advocate for youth experiencing foster care in Prince George’s County. CASA volunteer advocates fight for their rights and needs until they are in safe, loving, permanent homes. Presently, we have 152 CASA volunteer advocates serving 163 youth.

The event aimed to honor the exceptional contributions of CASA/Prince George’s County volunteer advocates, marking our first in-person volunteer appreciation gathering since 2019. The turnout was outstanding, with nearly every seat occupied by dedicated volunteers, esteemed community leaders, staff, and Board members.

Throughout the event, CASA/Prince George’s County shared moving testimonials from volunteers, illuminating their profound individual impact and the driving forces behind their ongoing dedication. One volunteer remarked, “When I see how my youth is blossoming and evolving day by day, I cannot help but want to be a volunteer.” Another volunteer commented, “It’s absolutely hard… the more you do, the better you get at it… If you want to do something long term, if you want to have a real meaningful outcome, I would say do it.”

Particularly poignant was the firsthand account of a CASA youth, articulating the transformative influence of their CASA volunteer advocate. Regarding her CASA volunteer advocate, she shared, “She helped me move from one foster home to the next… let me know it was going to be okay… She is such a helpful person and I love her and wouldn’t trade a thing for her.”

You can contribute to CASA/Prince George’s County’s impact on the lives of local youth experiencing foster care! Currently, there are 500 youth in foster care in Prince George’s County and we serve 200 of those youth. We need dedicated volunteers and supporters to help us increase the number of kids with a CASA volunteer advocate. Together, we can change a child’s story!

Support their “Change a Child’s Story” campaign and learn more about becoming a CASA volunteer advocate.